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Closure of classroom education a heartbreaking reality for teachers

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By Correne Martin

 

“Dear students, we didn’t even get to say goodbye.

“We didn’t know, with the last hug and high five, that it would be for more than just the weekend. 

“I am missing your smiles, hugs, laughter and even your perfectly ill-timed jokes. I long to watch your ‘aha’ moments.

“I would give anything to tell you it’s getting too loud and it’s time to focus. To tell you I am proud of you.

“No matter what the rest of this year brings, know you will forever be a part of my heart.”

The above excerpts from a familiar online blog post at “Her View From Home” put into perspective the surreal and grievous emotions teachers everywhere have felt since the coronavirus closed schools—the physical buildings, in lieu of distance learning—for the remainder of the academic year. 

“I teared up and had a hard time accepting it,” said Janet Steiner, a 39-year pre-kindergarten teacher at Prairie Catholic School. “April and May are the culmination of the year and so much fun.”

River Ridge fifth grade teacher Kris Petrowitz shared in that disappointment: “Not being able to say goodbye to my students the way I wanted was very hard. Seeing our students’ worried and confused faces as they came into the building a last time to pick up needed books and supplies was heartbreaking.”

Alex Osterkamp, Seneca middle and high school principal, was first concerned about how this sudden change would impact the students. 

“I felt sad for [them], especially the senior class,” he said, knowing they’ll miss out on many of the typical spring traditions at school with their friends.

“There’s still so much we wanted to do with our students. There’s field trips, final projects. It was a huge let down,” added Shawn Zeeh, who teaches fourth and fifth grade early language arts/social studies at Wauzeka-Steuben. 

Jessica Boylen, second grade teacher at Wauzeka-Steuben, feels heartbroken that those end-of-the-year traditions—like blowing bubbles and waving goodbye to the buses as they drive away on the last day­—won’t happen this year.

Heather DeBruin, Prairie du Chien High School English teacher, is uncertain whether the realization of COVID-19’s effects on schools has even settled in yet. “My mind has been so focused on hoping everyone is safe, hoping for a solution to be found, hoping my kids are getting my notes and are doing well that I haven’t really reflected on not being in the building,” she stated. “One of my favorite Facebook posts recently said, ‘The school buildings are closed. Learning is not.’”

While in-person, classroom interactions have not been allowed, electronic devices and the internet have been major tools that continued the learning virtually.

Applications such as Zoom, Google Classroom, Google Hangouts, ClassDojo, Facebook and others have moved to the forefront of education during this time of social distancing. Of course, email communication and hard copies of homework sent home have been key to the current setup as well. 

“Our first grade team is working hard to abide by the DPI recommendation of 1.5-2 hours of work a day for the age of our students,” noted B.A. Kennedy Elementary’s Judy Sagedahl, who has taught more than 25 years and said she’s never seen a situation like this. She pointed out, lesson plans often involve online and offline options because students’ home environments differ. 

Zeeh said, “We want to be sure we have enough for them to do, and still challenge each student to their potential, but not overwhelm them at this time.”

Boylen noted, she’d love to cover all the material she would have prior to the pandemic, but she knows not all parents could manage that while still working. 

“It’s hard to know the best route when you’re in uncharted territory,” she said. “I want to keep my students engaged, provide some consistency and check on their well being.”

One way Boylen has utilized technology to connect with her second graders, and for them to interact with each other, is to hold “show and share” and “pajama and stuffed animal” Zoom time.

Donna Aspenson, who teaches business and information technology education at Seneca, is retiring after this school year. She said, although she can video chat with students, she starts to feel sad when she thinks about it—knowing some she may never see again.

Aspenson said she’s definitely spending more time at the computer than before COVID-19. That work involves reviewing and grading school work and prepping for forthcoming curriculum. She sends reminder emails to students and parents. She also inputs grades, reports missing assignments, and sends ‘good job cards’ to students at all grade levels. 

She cited, “I miss the face-to-face time. I’m sure most of us do. When we are in video classrooms, we cannot always see the body language or make eye contact that is sometimes necessary for determining learning.”

For younger children, Steiner advised parents to simply keep working with them. “As long as parents do that, I feel the kids will do fine,” she said. “Some of those who need more socialization may have to begin again next fall to adjust.”

Older students are doing well, in general, according to what Osterkamp is seeing in Seneca. They are completing work and communicating well as a whole. He said teachers have also done a great job reaching out virtually or via phone to those who may be struggling.

“I try to motivate them as much as I can and ask what I can do to help them through the process,” he stated.

For high school students, DeBruin believes they will come out of this new safer-at-home way of life ready to conquer the world. 

“They are smart. They are resilient. They will take these experiences and use them to make our future the best it can be,” she remarked. “Not every lesson comes from a textbook. They will have really unique life lessons that emphasize their academic learning.” 

Once education resumes in the classroom—whenever that may be—teachers realize there will be plenty of time spent reviewing material and assessing knowledge to get the students up to speed. They also understand that school may not be the same ever again. But they’re vigilant about collaborating, working hard and thinking outside the box to eventually provide a sense of routine and programming that fulfills government standards (which could also change).

Zeeh admits, he has concerns. “I worry students aren’t getting everything they need, that they won’t be up to standards according to the common core,” he said. “But, I also know, a lot of positives will come out of this.”

Osterkamp addressed the significance of the pandemic too. “I’m sure this will impact students’ education. How big or little will be determined when we have district and state testing next year,” he reflected. 

Despite the worries, Sagedahl gave reassurance for parents: “We will do everything we can to ensure their learning is on the right track.”

DeBruin said, “COVID-19 is scary and frustrating, but our kids are warriors.” 

Petrowitz shed more positive light on the unknown. “Many things, such as having a school schedule from home, being responsible for getting homework done, sharing computers with siblings, having empathy for parents who are working, setting goals and times to work on projects, and being kind to one another, are all important concepts our students are learning,” she encouraged. “These are the things that can’t be measured, but they make us better individuals.”

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